Transparent and stretchable high-performance supercapacitors based on wrinkled graphene electrodes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Storage
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Transparent and stretchable energy storage devices are highly sought after for their unique properties.
• Existing electrodes are typically either transparent or stretchable, hindering the development of devices with both characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple method for fabricating highly transparent and stretchable electrodes.
• To create transparent and stretchable supercapacitors utilizing these novel electrodes.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of wrinkled graphene sheets.
• Utilizing wrinkled graphene as both current collectors and electrode materials.
• Testing supercapacitor performance under various stretching conditions.

Main Results:

• Achieved high transparency (57% at 550 nm) in the fabricated wrinkled graphene electrodes.
• Demonstrated high stretchability, with devices functioning up to 40% strain.
• Maintained performance over hundreds of stretching cycles without significant degradation.

Conclusions:

• Wrinkled graphene offers a viable solution for creating simultaneously transparent and stretchable energy storage devices.
• The developed supercapacitors show promise for applications requiring both optical clarity and mechanical flexibility.